Historical reenactment part of South Side fest

By Vincent T. Davis, Staff Writer :
November 22, 2013

A woman sympathetic to the Republican Army of the North lashes out against Spanish Army soldiers as they mock her during the reenactment of the Battle of Medina on Nov. 16.

Dan Arellano, left, president of the Battle of Medina Historical Society, speaks as Rick Reyes, Elio Santos and Carlos Santos look on during the reenactment at Southside High School.

Photo By Photos by Marvin Pfeiffer / Southside Reporter

Edward Teniente and Anthony Rodriguez, representing the Republican Army of the North, charge the Spanish Army in reenacting the Battle of Medina at Southside High's football field Nov. 16.

Edward Teniente completes his outfit as a Tejano ranchero from the pre-1800s period with a tomahawk. He and his brother participate in reenactments in honor of their late father who introduced them to the hobby.

The past came alive a recent Saturday on the far South Side, where a battle to free Texas from the Royal Spanish Army took place 200 years ago.

For four years, the reenactment of the Battle of Medina has been a highlight of the Southside Independent School District's annual Cardinal Fest.

An estimated crowd of more than 400 students and community members attended the Nov. 16 festival, which featured music, game booths, and performances from the Southside High School Mariachi Group. This was the fifth year for the fest that took place at Southside High School, 1460 Martinez-Losoya.

Arellano said they've been doing the reenactments for seven years in various locations. He said the Southside High School area is a favorite site because it's close to the original battleground.

“All the evidence is around the school,” Arellano said. “That's why we do it there. It's important to keep our history alive.”

Arellano said a film crew taped the event for a documentary that he hopes to make available for viewing at schools.

School district spokesman Jorge Tepete said the idea is to bring an awareness of an event that actually happened in the South Side community. Tepete said the period is part of students' curriculum and is featured in their textbooks.

“There's a portion that talks about the battle,” he said. “It has a lot of meaning to us; it is a pretty interesting story.”